Machine for making packages



March 29, 1932. A, G, ROSE 1,851,870

MACHINE FOR MAKING PACKAGES Filed June 26, 195o 4 shwrs-sheet 1 March 29, 1932. A. G ROSE 1,851,870

MACHINE FOR MAKING'PACKAGES Filed June 26, 1930 4 sheets-sheet 2'A Aw., www

March 29, 1932. A, G. ROSE l 1,851,870

MACHINE FOR MAKING PACKAGES Filed June 26, 1930 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 MACHINE FOR MAKING PACKAGES Filed June 26, 19

Sheets-Sheet 4 z'taynays,

Patented Mar. 29, 19.32-`

.ALFRED GERMAN BOSE, OF GAINSBORUGH, ENGLAND, ASSIGNOR T ROSE BROTHERS (GAINSBOROUGH) LIMITED,- 0F GAINSBOROUGH, ENGLAND, A BRITISH COMPANY MACHINE FOB MAKING PACKAGES Application led June V26,1980, Serial No. I4164,073fand in Great Britain July 18, 1929.

This invention is for im rovements in or relating to machines for ma ing packages, of the type in which a Series ofopen-ended'bags are formed from a stri of paper, which bags are subsequently fille with a material andtheir open ends subsequently folded to completely enclose the articles.

This invention has for one object to provide a simple straightforward machine of this lo type in which all operations performed upon the strip of paper and upon the bags formed from it are carried out by mechanism which is located in one horizontal'plane so that all pperations'are clearly visible to the eye and all parts of the machine are readily accessible.

Machines of the above type in which are effected all operations from the forming of the bags from a flat strip of paper down to the filling of the bags with a material (e. g. tobacco) and their final closure are known,

and such machines have hitherto been extrnely complicated and their parts inaccess1 e.

The present invention provides bag-making and filling machines having two conveyors on which the bags areformed and filled respectively and a transfer mechanism operable between the two, characterized in p that the conveyorsjare of the endless chain type and that both conveyors and the transfer mechanism all operate in the same horizontal plane. One construction according to this invention will now becdescribed in detail by way of example with reference te the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a planeview of a bag-forming and filling machine; 4 Figure 2 is a side elevation on an enlarge o scale of the mechanism whichv lies within the area indicated by the numeral 2 in -Figure 1; y

Figure 3 is a plan view on an enlarged scale 5 of the lmecha nism shown within the area num-l bered 3 in Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a side elevation on an enlarged scale of charging mechanism located within the area numbered 4 in Figure 1'; 5o Figure 5 is a side elevation von an enlarged .numbered 5 in Fi ure 1;

Figure 9 isfafurtherenlarged view of cereo tain of the mechanism shown within the area numbered 4 in Figure l, looking in the direction of the arrow 9;

Figure 10 is an elevation of part of the mechanism shown in Figure 9 looking in the e5 direction of the arrow 10;

Figure 11 is a perspective view of a partially formed bag.

Throughout this description like reference numerals indicate'like parts. 70

Referring to Figures 1 and 2, the apparatus consists of two chain conveyors indicated generally by numbers 20 and 21. These conveyors are located in the same horizontal plane but at right angles to each other in 7'5 the formof a letter L. During the traverse of the conveyor 20 a web of paper is folded into a series of open-ended bags which are then transferred to the conveyor 21 and during the traverse of the latter are filled withgso cigarettes and the open end` of each bag is. closed and sealed. Upon arriving at station 6 at the far end of the second conveyor, the closed bags are removed from this conveyor v and are passed through drying apparatus in which the adhesive, by which the inal folds of each bag are sealed, is dried.

The conveyor 20 consists of two endless chains 22 which are' `traversed over sprockets 23. These chains carry a series of form'- 9C ers 24 which in shape are rectangular, with grooves 25' along their longitudinal sides. During the traverse of each former along the upper la of the conveyor 20 a strip of paper 26-is fe Vfrom a roll (not shown) between 9.5

guides 27 and `28 directly in the path of the former. The strip is severed by any convenient cutting mechanismv (not shown) from the roll and during the forward advance of the former is folded, by stationary ploughs 10 bottomsurfaces` of the former.

29 and ,30 which are located respectively above and below the path of the conveyor into-U-shaped formation on to the top and Immediately afterwards, two ploughs 31 which are located one on each side of the conveyor operate to fold the bottom lateral sideflaps 32 up on to the sides of the former. The ploughs 31 are mounted upon parallel links 132 which are oscillated by means of a cam 135, rock- Y"ing lever 134, and connecting link 133. yA

roller upon the end of the lever 134 is maintainedvin contact with the face of the cam 135 by an extension spring 136. The ploughs 31 are by this mechanism moved forwards and upwards. The paper strip is subsequently engaged by stationary ploughs 131,

131, which form the narrow end tucks 33. It -is importantthat the narrow end tucks should be formed subsequent to the folding of the bottom lateral side flaps otherwise if the end tucks were formed first their presthe upper lateral side flaps and to the narrowrl end tucks by gumming mechanism as follows Upon each side of the conveyor is a vertical continuously rotating shaft 37, each of which shafts carries two segmental members 38 and 39 which are spaced apart one above the other so that the members 38 will apply gum to the outer surfaces of the upper lateral side flaps 34 and the members 39 will apply gum to the outer surfaces of the narrow A end tucks 33. Gum is loaded on to the operative surfaces of the segmental members 38 and 39 by gumming discs 40 which are ro tatable in a horizontal plane and dip into gum baths (which are not shown). During the application of the gum to the lateral side aps 34 these are supported by stationary abutments 41 each of which is provided with a groove 42 so placed that in the event of the wrapper feed failing, the segment 38 will move through this groove and gum will not be applied to the abutments 41. In a similar manner the lower gumming segments 39 may be arranged to coincide with the grooves 25 in the lateral sides of the formers. The primary purpose, however, of these grooves 25 is described below.

It is to be understood that those surfaces i of the lateral side iaps 34, which during the Agumming operation are the outer surfaces,

become when the bag is completely folded, the inner surfaces. Upon moving beyond the gumming devices these lateral side fla s are engaged by further stationary plouglis 43, 43 and turned through 180 until they are folded down on to the outer surfaces of the previously folded bottom lateral side flaps 32. A bag at this stage of the bag-making ope-rations is shown at the extreme right-hand end of Figure 2.

The mechanism above described is located wit-hin area 2 in Figure 1.

The wrapper has now been folded into an open ended bag around the former and further movement of the conveyor carries it between electric heaters 44, 44 which operate to dry the gum along the sides of the bag. From between the'electric heaters the bag now passes into area 3 at which it is removed from the former about which it has been folded and transferred to one of a series of pockets (indicated generally by thenumber 45) upon the second conveyor 21, which is intermittently movable. l

The transfer mechanism, which is shown in plan in Figure 3, comprises two endless chains 46, 46 which are located upon opposite sides respectively of the conveyor 20 with one lap of each chain parallel to the upper lap of this conveyor. The chains 46 are provided with stripping fingers 47 which are located at the same height as the grooves 25 in the formers 2 4 and with supporting plates 48 which are located with their upper surfaces on a level with the lowersurface of the open-ended bags. The chains 46 are moved at a fluctuating linear speed around their path so that as each former 24 approaches the end of the upper lap of the conveyor 20, a pair of stripping fingers 47 is moved into engagement with the rear end of the bag on that former at a linear speed which is substantially the same as that of the conveyor and is then moved ahead of the conveyor at an increased linear speed to removethe bag from and 51 from a horizontal shaft 52 through.

bevel gearing. The shaft 52, which is supported in bearings 53, 54 upon the frame of the machine, carries at one end a cross-head 55, in which is formed a slot 56; `Parallel with, but offset from, the shaft 52 is a driving shaft 57 which carries a crank 58 having a crank-pin 59 upon which is pivot-ed a slipper 60, the latter engaging in the slot 56 of the chain 61.

cross-head 55. Considering Figure 7 with the coupling in the position shown, it will be seen that the angular velocity of the shaft 52 will be considerably greater thanv that of the shaft 57. Conversely, when the shaft 57 has been rotated through 180 the angular velocity of the shaft 52 will be less than that of the shaft 57. The position ofthe crank and cross-head relative to the positions of the several formers 24 on the conveyor 20 is so arranged that as each former approaches the the upper lap of that conveyor an increase in velocity is imparted to the stripping lingers 47 and the open-ended bag removed from that former and deposited in a pocket'45 on the second conveyor.

T'he. above mechanism is located within area 3 in Figure 1.l

The second conveyor 21 comprises an endless chain 61 which is movable over a table 62 and under aguide-plate 63v (the latter is A bag is placed in each pocket of the con-1 veyor 21 by the transfer mechanism in area 3 in Figure 1 and the conveyor is moved intermittently until each bag in turn reaches charging mechanism located within station 4, by which mechanism ten cigarettes are removed from a hopper 66 and transferredinto the open-ended bag. The base 67 of the hopper 66 is divided by four plates 68 into five vertical channels down which the cigarettes gravitate until they rest on al feed table 69. The width of each channel is just suicient to accommodate one cigarette so that the cigarettes lie one above the other. British patent specification No. 276,141 describes a convenient arrangement of hopper and means whereby the cigarettes in the hopper may be so vibrated that they fall easily and without' jamming into the five vertical channels in the base of the hopper. A. pusher comprising live fingers 7 0 which are supported on parallel links -71 and 72, and 73 and 74, is actuated by a crank 75, connecting-rod 76, roller 77 and a cam, which is not shown, to move horizontally through slots 78 in the base of each vertical channel to discharge two cigarettes from each channel. At the termination of its forward motion, the pusher, while still maintaining its horizontal alignment, is lowered below the level of the feed table 69 so that cig.- arettes Vwhich are supported in the hopper 'above the batch just removed ,are lowered1 horizontally on to the feed table and no jamming occurs .in the vertical channels. The pusher is now returned below the level of the feed table and then raised into the position shown in Figure 4 preparatory to making a further forward' movement. The batch of Acigarettes (ten in number) is dischargedfrm.

the hopper into a channel-shaped receiver 79.

of the feed table 69 to that of the open-ended bags upon the conveyor 21. y

When the receiver 79 has beenlowered to its lowest position, in which it is level with the open-ended bags on the conveyor 21, the

batch of cigarettes in itis discharged by' the receiver 79. It is mounted on an endless chain 86 which is shown in the chain-dotted lines in Figure 4.4 This chain is reciprocated backwards and forwards by mea'ns of a rack 79 which is itself oscillated by a cam (not shown). The pusher vis moved forward through the receiver 79 (the base of which is slotted to permit of its passage) and through an oscillating gate 88 which carries a tapering mouth-piece 89. The' batch of cigarettes is thus removed from the receiver and passed into the open-ended bag. yThe pusher 85 is then withdrawn. mouth-piece 89 are mounted upon a lever 90 which is oscillatedl by means of a cant (not The gate 88 and the taper shown) so that as each bag comes to a stop at the charging station, the taper mouth-piece is inserted into-the open mouth of the bag to guide the cigarettes in correct alignment into.

the bag interior. The bag having been thus filled, the mouth-piece is withdrawn and the bag moved on one stage, at which thenarrow Two swinging flap members 91 and 191 are mounted respectively upon vertical spindles 92 and 192 for oscillatory movement in a horizontal plane; the spindles being supported in carriers 121 and 122 which arethemselves "rotatably mounted upon horizontal shafts 95 and 195 for oscillation in a vertical plane. The spindles 92 and 192 carry bevel pinions 93 and 193 which are respectively engaged by bevel quadrants 94 and 194. The quadrant 94 is rotatably mounted upon the shaft 95 while the quadrant 194 is rotatably mounted upon the' shaft 195. The bevel quadrant 94 is actuated by the right-hand face of the cam 97 through lever 98, and connec'ting rod 99. This movement is communicated to the bevel quadrant 194 by'intermeshing quadrants 96 and 196. Integral with the bevel quadrant 94 is an abutment 123 while a second abutment 124is integral with the carrier'121, these two abutments .being linked through lever 126 and connecting rod 127 to swing in a vertical plane around the shaft 95 a pair of quadrants (which are not shown upon the drawingsbut are situated behind the quadrants 96 and 196) transmit this mo- 'tion to the carrier 122 which is similarly, caused to swing in -a vertical plane around the shaft 195. A tension spring 137 retains a roller upon the lower end of thelever 126 in operative engagement with the left-hand vface of the cam 97.

In Figure 9 the flap members 91 and 191 are shown in'their closed positions upon the 15,* the mechanism associated with the\ lever` .end of the bag. Partial rotation ofthe cam 97 rocks the lever 98, and the spring 125 and causes the -bevel quadrants 94 and 194 and bevel gears 93 and 193 to ease the flap members away from Vthe endof the bag. At, or about,

this period they lever 126 is rocked by the" left-hand face of the cam 97 and the carriersf i at this station having beenmade and the flap members retired as above described, this bag is conveyed from the station and the next 'following bag movedl up.` The spindles 92 and 192 and carriers 121 and 122 are then caused to swing in a vertical plane to assume vertical positions and the flap members 91 and 191 are rotated in a horizontal plane to swing in towards each other to effect the folding of the narrow end tucks of this fresh bag.

Subsequent to the above operation tucln'ng fingers 100 and 101 are moved towards each other to crease down the top and bottom flaps (128 and 129 respectively), the tucking fingers having been returned, these flaps spring open again and assume the position shown in Figure 10. The above mechanism is located within area 4 in Figure 1.

The bag is now transferred to the gumming station which is located in area 5 in Figure 1. At the gumming station is a gum bath 102 from which gum is transferred by rollers 103 and 104 to the peripheral edge'of a'continuously rotatingV gummer 105. The latter rofates in a clockwise directionlas shown in Figure 5) and thus applies gum to the under. surface of the bottom flap 129 and also to the i under surface of the upper flap 128. This operation having been completed, the bag is again advanced past two stationary ploughs 106 into area'6. During this latter movement these ploughs 106 `operate firstly to fold up the bottom flap 129 on to the ends of the cigarettes and secondly to fold down the top ap128 on to the surface of the previously folded bottom flap. The bag is thus completely closed. v

The now closed yand sealed bag is dis-l charged from its pocket in the conveyor 21 on to a horizontal platform 107 by means of a reciprocating 4pusher 108. The latter is pivoted at 109 to a lever 110 and carries midway along its length a roller 111 which moves over a curved guide platform 112. The lever 110 is oscillated by means of a cam and the roller 111 (3o-operates with the curved guide platform 112 to ensure that the plunger 108 moves in a substantially horizontalplane.

The platform 107 is carried upon the free end of a lever 113, the latter 'being intermittently swung through approximately 90 by rack 114, pinion 115 and a cam (not shown). The lever passes between guide plates 116 in one of which is formed a guide-track 117 which engages a pin 118 pendant from the free end of the lever 113 and 'thus ensures that the platform 107 as it approaches the end of its upward movement assumes a vertical position and moves approximately parallel to a vertical plane.

Inthis manner the filled and closed bags are lifted on to a platform 119 where they are stacked on their ends faceto face'with the-recently sealed narrow `end uppermost. As each bag is lifted on to this platform 1 19, those already on its are pushed forward and are thus moved along beneath an electric heater 120 where the adhesive upon the narrow end flaps is dried.

The above mechanism area 6 in Figure 1.

1. In a bag-making and filling machine the egmbination of two endless chain type `con` veyors operable in the same horizontal plane, a series of formers on one conveyor, feeding mechanism for feeding paper blanksiinto the path of the formers, means for folding a paper 'blank about each former during its advance toform an open-ended bag, a series of is located within pockets upon the other conveyor, transfer k mechanism separate from the conveyors but operable in the same horizontal plane for transferring each open-ended bag from its vformer on the first-mentioned conveyor and depositing one in each pocket on the secondmentioned conveyor, charging apparatus operable to feed articles into the bags on the second conveyor, and folding mechanism for closing and sealing the open end of each bag.

v 2. In a bag-making andlling machine the combination of a rst and second conveyor each of the endless-track type andoperable in the same horizontal plane, means associated with the first conveyor for forming thereonva series of open-ended bags, transfer mechanism operable to transfer said bags to the second conveyor, a hopper for cigarettes situated adj'acent to the second conveyor, a

series of vertical channels in the base of the hopper for the reception of cigarettes descending by gravitation, a usher, means for advancing the pusher horizontally through the base of the channels to discharge a batch of cigarettes and subsequentl to lower it in a horizontal position, and olding means for closing the end of the filled bags.

3. In a bag-forming and filling machine the combination of a conveyor of tlie endlesstrack type having one lap in a horizontal plane, means associated with said conveyor for forming thereon a series of opengended l5 less bands provided with stripping fingers and located on opposite sides respectivelysof the conveyor with one lap of each chain parallel to the aforesaid lap of the conveyor,

er carrying an open-ended bag approaches the end of said conveyor lap to move the stripping fingers into engagement with the rear end of the bag at a linear speed substantially the same as that of the conveyor and subsequently ahead of the conveyor at an increased linear speed, and a second conveyor operablein the same horizontal plane as the first and arranged to receive the bags which are stripped from the first conveyor by the transfer mechanism aforesaid.

4. In a bag-forming and filling machine the combination of an endless-track type conveyor having one lap in a horizontal plane, means `associated with said conveyor for forming thereon a series of open-ended bags, transfer mechanism comprising two endless bands provided with strippingv fingers and located on opposite sides respectively of the said conveyor with one lap in each chain parallel to the aforesaid lap of the conveyor, driving means therefor vincluding two offset parallel rotatable shafts and a coupling vbetween them comprising a crank and crankpin upon one shaft and a cross-head upon the other, and a second conveyor operable in the same horizontal plane as the first conveyor.

5. In a bag-forming and filling machine having a conveyor for transporting a series of articles, transfer mechanism for removing the said articles therefrom comprising two endless chains one on each side of the conveyor, strip ing fingers upon the chains, drivin means fjor the transfer mechanism oper- `able to move the stripfping fingers into contact with the rear o stantially the same linear s eed as the conveyor and subsequently ahea of the conveyor at an :increased linear speed to remove the articles therefrom.

6 .In a bag-forming and filling machine the combination of two endless chain typey conveyors and transfer mechanism between` them all operable in the same Ahorizontal plane, means associated with the irst `conbags, transfer mechanism comprising two en means operable about the period when a form-f the articles at sub-- veyor for forming thereon a series of openended bags, charging apparatus for feeding articles into said bags while on the second conveyor, and means for closing the open' mouth of each filled bag, comprising two swinging fiap members Whicliare rotatable about both verticaland horizontalaxes for making the narrow end tucks on the open I mouth, and stationary ploughs for folding the top and bottom fiaps. l

7. The combination with apparatus according to claim 6, of two tucking fingerslocated aryploughs for folding-said blanks into U- shape formation about the top and bottoni of. each former, gumming devices for applying 'gum to the upper lateral side fiaps,`

means for folding down the lower and upper lateral side fiaps'to form open-ended bags, a drier for drying the aforesaid adhesive, transfer mechanism operable in the same horizontal plane as the two conveyors for removing the open-ended bags from the first conveyor and depositing them on the second conveyor, charging apparatus operable to feed articles to the bags on the second conveyor, means for closing the open mouth of each bag and sealing it with adhesive, and a drier for dryin said adhesive.

9. In a bag orming andllin machine the combination of two endless c ain type conveyors operable in the same horizontal plane, a series of formers on one conveyor, eeding mechanism for feeding paper blanks into the path of the formers, means for foldloisVr ing a paper blankl about each former during its advance to lform 'an open-ended bag, aI

series of-pockets on the other conveyor, transfer mechanism for transferring the openended bags into said pockets a tapering mouth piece, means for reciprocating said mouth piece substantially horizontally to insert it into the open mouth of each bag upon the said other conveyor while at a filling station, and charging apparatus operable at the filling stationA to feed cigarettesthrough said mouth piece into the bag.

10. The combination recited in claim 1 in which the'charging apparatus comprises a hopper for cigarettes. a series of vertical channels in the base of the hopper, a pusherv having a series of fingers, one, corresponding to eachX of saidchannels, and means for advancing said pusher horizontally and then lowering/it While maintaining the lingers in a horizontal position.

11. In a bag forming and filling machlne the combination of an endless-track type conveyor, a series 'f formers upon the conveyor, Y `feeding mechanism operable to feed paper blanks, one into the path of each former, stationary ploughs for holding said blanks into U-shape formation about lthe top and bottom of each former and for makin the narrow end tucks, stationary devices for ending the upper lateral side naps-into vertical positions l substantially at right angles to the contiguous upper surface of the partially forme bag, gumming segments located on each side of the conveyor and rotatable in vhorizontal planes above the plane of the conveyor for applying adhesive to the outer surfaces of the u per lateral side flaps when in the position a oresaid, a second conveyor operable in the same plane as the first conveyor, transfer mechanism for removing the open-ended bags from .I Athe first conveyor and placing them on the second conveyor, and means for fillin said bags with cigarettes while on the secon coni veyor. 1

In testimony whereof I aiiix my signature.

ALFRED GERMAN ROSE, 

